St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-11-18
LANAR,S PROMOTION.

The transfer of Mr.. LAMAR from the
interior department to the supreme
court bench is foregone conclusion. 1t
has been arranged that Mr.. Villas shall
succeed Mr.. LAMAR as the head of the
interior department, and Hon. DON NJ.
DICKINSON, of Michigan, has been in
vited to direct the postal affairs of the
nation. All that is lacking to cOnSum-
mate these arrangements is the formal
announcements to be made by the preSi-
dent and their subsequent confirmation
by the senate. Notwithstanding the at
tempt being made by Senator Ed
MUNDS to drum up an opposition
to Mr.. LA11AR's confirmation, there
is no reason to doubt that matters as
now arranged Will go through and Mr..
LAMAR will become an associate JUS
tice on the supreme court bench. The
fact that Mr.. LAMAR is himself an eX-
senator inSureS his confirmation by that
body, Independent of every other con-
SideratiOn. The law of senatorial
courtesy" invests senators with an ele-
ment of infallibility which even the
bitterness Of partisan rancor cannot
wipe out. To have been senator
amounts to complete political satisfac-
ton. At least that is the doctrine of
the senate.
While the GLOBE has no personal
feeling in the matter, nor does it pro-
pose to have quarrel with the presi-
dent over his appointments, still it does
f0f IN 10 ion
that the promotion of Mr.. LAMAR to the
supreme bench will be a disappoint-
ment to the great mass of the people.
1t is conceded that the South is entitled
to be represented on the supreme bench,
so there can be no objection
urged against Mr.. LAMAR's APP
pointment on sectional grounds. Mr..
LAMAR is also recognized as fairly
representative man of his section. He
is known to be a gentleman of high
character, scholarly attainments and
the most brilliant intellectual qualities
He ShOne in the senate and has made a
capable cabinet officer. But all these
things do not qualify a man for the
highest judicial post in the nation.
gument against his appointment. If
there is one thing more than another
that the supreme court of the United
States needs it is an infusion of young
blood, and what splendid opportunity
this would have been for our Demo-
cratic administration to have inaugural
ed a reform in this direction.
Mr.. LAMAR is now past three score
and will hardly have had time TO be-
come familiar with the routine work of
the court until he will be ready for the
retired list. In the next place the SUI
preme court needs additional working
force. 1t is already Overburthened with
fOSSiliSm. Mr.. LAMAR has never been
noted for industrious habits. And in
addition to that has never had any spe-
cial judicial training. For over thirty
years he has been actively engaged in
national politics and has not had an OPP
pOrtunity to lay i'll store that stock of
legal learning which is popularity sup
posed to be necessary to qualify per-
son for position on the supreme court
bench.
1t is not out of any personal feeling
that the GLOBE has ventured to make
these criticisms on Mr.. LAMAR'S ap-
pOintment. Nor is it done with any eX-
pectation of bringing about a change in
plans that have already been arranged
As an Independent journal that is
neither afraid to hold nor express
opinions concerning public men and
public measures, and always ready to
discuss both in a fair, nOn-partisan
spirit, we are free to say that while Mr.
LAMAR's appointment to the supreme
bench will not be in any sense dis
creditable to the present administration
we are as honestly of the opinion that il
could be vastly improved upon.